Dominica National School Awards 2026: PM Skerrit calls for education reforms to prepare students for AI Era

Dominica: Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit has asked for educational reforms to better equip students with the necessary skills to adapt to the changing world of artificial intelligence, technology and workplace demands.

Speaking at the opening of the National School Awards Ceremony 2026, PM Skerrit said that schools need to stop making students memorise everything and encourage them to think independently, analyse information, and solve problems.

“We cannot prepare them for that world by simply teaching them to memorise information and repeat it during an examination,” he noted. The Prime Minister also highlighted the need to develop skills that will help students evaluate information, identify misinformation, and make sound decisions.

He also called for improved literacy and numeracy programmes, technical and vocational training programmes, proper use of classroom technology, and improved educational provisions for students with special needs.

Education Minister Octavia Alfred stated that the country scored 11.3% better than the regional average in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and surpassed the standard in 30 of the 32 subjects being assessed.

The country reported pass rates of 88.4% in English and 94.9% in Mathematics. According to Alfred, numeracy has been improving but there is still a need to help students develop their creative writing skills.

She praised the efforts of the students, teachers, parents and administrators of the schools for the results and reiterated the government’s dedication to teacher training and education resources.

The event celebrated various accomplishments of students and schools for the academic year 2025-2026. The awards were distributed for achievements aside from exam results, such as those in agriculture, performing arts, modern languages, community service, innovation, culture preservation, and ensuring safety at schools.

PM Skerrit also congratulated the 42 students for their academic performance and encouraged them to continue developing their talents and contributing to Dominica’s development.

The ceremony was held under the theme “Celebrating Excellence, Recognizing Achievement, Inspiring Greatness,” and serves as a national platform for celebrating achievement within the education sector.